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Reserve Report: Boateng stars in Return Of The Damned

bankrupt — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Spurs Reserves 2-0 West Ham Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

---------------------Sanchez (37)---------------------

Stalteri (31)--Dervite (20)--Rocha (30)--Gilberto (32)

--------Ghaly (26)--Maghoma (21)--Boateng (21)----

Daniels (22)---------------------------------Taarabt (19)

--------------------Fraser-Allen (18)-------------------

Subs: Butcher (20), Mtandari (19), Hutchins (19), Berchiche (18), Hutton (18)

Scorers: Daniels x2

The Game

It was a good turn out for a cold, rainy Monday evening. Numbers no doubt buoyed by it being a derby with West Ham, and also by the promise of the return of some senior Spurs players that were frozen out under the previous regime. That prospect was also enough to attract the likes of new manager Harry Redknapp, new coach Tim Sherwood and fellow Spurs “legend” Justin Edinburgh to the game.

Spurs lined up with an incredibly experienced backline (youngest member Dervite retained the captaincy), with Jacques Maghoma anchoring midfield and Hossam Ghaly and Kevin Prince Boateng also central (disappointingly no place for two of this year's better reserve performers David Hutton and Danny Hutchins). Beyond them, three nominal attacking players, Adel Taarabt, Charlie Daniels and Kyle Fraser-Allen were given some free licence to switch positions. This lead to a disjointed first half, as the players struggled to come to terms with such flexibility in their roles, and the lack of a consistent focal point in attack meant the breakdown of most offensive moves as they reached the final third. Any goal threat was limited to speculative long range efforts (Daniels turned in a Gilberto strike but was ruled offside), set pieces and several crosses into a largely unpopulated penalty area.

Eventually, as the half wore on, reserve coach Clive Allen settled on using Fraser-Allen as a fixed striker, with Taarabt on the left flank and Daniels on the right. Still not happy with that, he brought on Hutton at half time (along with Takura Mtandari to replace the injured Rocha) and switched to 4-4-1-1, with Hutton and Daniels on either flank, Ghaly and Maghoma central and Boateng in a roaming role behind Fraser-Allen.

The greater balance and fixed structure paid dividends and Spurs' dominance over a very poor West Ham side was rewarded with two goals, both from Daniels. The first a tap in from a corner following Boateng’s header, and the second a superb solo goal from Daniels breaking from left midfield.

The Players

The most impressive player on display on the night turned out to be Boateng. I, like the vast majority, had completely written him off, as a player who has failed to look the part at first team level and has reportedly had some off the field problems alongside rumours of a poor attitude. His attitude in this game though was excellent. He worked extremely hard to make an impact, particularly in the second half, and I was particularly impressed with a hitherto unseen level of intelligence in his play.

Physically, he looked like a man against boys opposite the majority of West Ham’s back line, winning plenty of headers and flick ons from deep balls and closing and bullying defenders. I can’t really see where he would play should he return to first team consideration, but on this evidence, perhaps as an option as a support forward. I’d imagine Redknapp will be pretty impressed with his application, and of all the ‘misfits’ has probably done himself the most good from his night’s work.

Of the other senior players hoping to force their way back into the reckoning, Paul Stalteri was probably the most impressive. He looked rusty and lacking sharpness, particularly defensively in the first half (understandable since this was his first ‘competitive’ club game in months), but as ever provided some intelligent overlapping down the right flank as the game went on.

Gilberto, despite looking pretty bright early on, got worse as the game went on and was a passenger for the majority of the second half. Rocha did OK, but as ever does tend to commit himself rather early, and didn’t appear for the second half having picked up what looked like an ankle injury.

Ghaly, very impressive last time out, was much quieter in this game. The role he had occupied last time was taken this time by Boateng, and as such a more disciplined game was required from him, which he managed with minimum fuss. There were a few more misplaced passes this time around, but in general his understanding of what is around him in both defensive and attacking situations is still impressive, and may well surprise those who wrote him off at senior level.

Daniels deserves a mention on account of his brace on the night, in addition to his goal last time out. For me, he is providing further evidence that there is little point in judging a player by their reserve goalscoring record (see also Lee Barnard). Although his second goal was very well taken, he is nowhere near sufficient level to make it at a club like Spurs. Plenty of enthusiasm, but lacks mobility and any quality in his final ball. Could certainly carve a decent career for himself at lower league level, and that is precisely where he should be right now, for his own sake if nothing else.

As for Taarabt…. well, one could write a very long thesis on how and why it all went wrong for him at Spurs, but it’s quite clear that it HAS gone wrong. In the first half, virtually everything he tried was counter to the higher tempo, quick ball moving game that Allen wanted, and he was quite clearly doing more harm than good with his insistence on trying to beat a player every time he received the ball, regardless of where he was and what the situation required.

It’s a real shame because it’s pretty easy to see the talent he does have, and not just in the tricks and party pieces, but also in some of his passing and awareness of team mates’ movements. Were this a one off, it could probably be put down to over eagerness at the opportunity to impress the new manager, but it’s been happening all season, and at the tail end of last term aswell.

Personally, I can’t see any way back for him. Right now, he’s not playing well enough to be anywhere near first team consideration. Unless Redknapp or one of the other new coaches can take him under their wing, I’d say it’s unlikely that there’s going to be any improvement – it’s clear that Allen isn’t going to be the one to turn his fortunes around.

The Ratings

Sanchez – 59% - Had very little to do but, one poor rush from goal aside, did it competently

Stalteri – 70% - Clearly lacking sharpness, but was a decent attacking outlet

Dervite – 67% - Looked better than in recent games. A little shaky in one on ones though.

Rocha – 61% - Had no major problems before being withdrawn

Gilberto – 55% - Thankfully wasn’t really tested defensively, but failed to provide much of an attacking outlet

Maghoma – 58% - Coped physically, but some of his positional play and wayward passing caused a few problems

Ghaly – 66% - Steady and disciplined for the most part

Boateng – 75% - Plenty of enthusiasm, as you might expect, but also some glimpses of quality and maturity

Taarabt – 44% - Caused more problems for his team mates and coach than he did for the opposition

Daniels – 73% - Two well taken goals, and can’t fault his effort, but they were the only real moments of quality

Fraser-Allen – 61% - A big ask for him to play up top, but put in a decent shift

Mtandari – 60% - West Ham didn’t ask any real questions of him.

Hutton – 63% - Provided some much needed balance and pace on the flanks

So then now what?

Surfless — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:44:00 GMT

The season that promised so much has gone horrifically wrong. That there are only eight premier league games gone, and the Carling Cup defence hangs in the balance of a tie with Liverpool accompanied by bottom place of in the league and a shaky standing in the UEFA cup. Probably more worrying than the league position is the damning fact that a collection of players assembled for over £100m are at the moment uninspired, out of form, demotivated and shadows of their former selves.

Fingers can be pointed at the departures of Keane and Berbatov, and also questions can be asked about the wisdom of the club in signing so many new players in one close season, without addressing the holes in the squad. None of the above will ultimately have any bearing on the fortunes of the club in the league this season. Relegation, while not by any stretch a certainty, is increasingly a consideration, given not the league position but the performance of management and players.

Fans the length of the country and beyond are bemoaning the lack of cohesion, the lack of passion and the clueless nature of the team at this time, and with good reason. There is some irony that the best performances this season have come from the player alleged to be "the only striker left," that being Darren Bent, and even his performances have not been of a high enough standard. In recent weeks players with huge influence and character have started to fade into the background - Gomes, Woodgate, King, and Jenas, all expected to be big voices in the dressing room, have been notable for their mistakes, poor performances and general lack of passion.

So what steps can be taken, and which should be taken, to instill some of that famous Ian Dowie bouncebackability?

Option 1 is to tough it out and hope that the current regime turns things around. Even the most ardent Ramos supporter must now be starting to wonder whether the spaniard has the wherewithall to bring about the necessary change of fortunes - and with that comes the same question about the backroom staff. The much heralded coaching team of Ramos and Poyet, whilst clearly undermined by the transfer activity of the summer, is now being tested and seems on the face of it to be found wanting.

Option 2 is to break up the management team, and give Poyet and A.N.Other a chance to succeed. This would seem a bit like the legacy of the last 10 years with the retention of Chris Hughton baffling fans for almost a decade.

Option 3 is to change the management. Given the unbelievable media faux pas that Ramos' appointment was, it would be seen as an phenomenal failing on the part of the Spurs heirarchy were they to admit defeat and remove the former Sevilla boss after one year at the helm. Despite the increasing feeling that the current setup is starting to mirror the Christian Gross era, it really is difficult to be believe that Levy and co would take the public humilation that would ensue. The question is will their pride come before the worst fall in 30 years - that being a fall from the top flight?

Option 4 is to take the Middlesborough approach and bring in a name coach to assist the current setup. Boro famously stayed up with Terry Venables in tow, and although El Tel's name has been mooted it is unlikely that Spurs would bring the former boss to the club in any capacity.Talk of sacking Comolli would be meritous given the transfer calamity of this season, however anyone who comes in would find their hands tied until January's transfer window. Thinking beyond this season, Comolli must now be seriously under threat, and a roll for a coach with a reputation for spotting talent might offer an interesting combined role in the future.

None of the above options offer guarantees. Most clubs in Spurs current position who have changed managers have seen a boom associated with the new man's early impact on the players, but rarely do they offer a sustained improvement good enough to keep clubs in the top division.

Are the players good enough? The answer has to be a conclusive yes. A settled and committed side with a clear style and purpose would be capable through shear fitness and organisation of getting results and with those results would come confidence and ultimately the flair so craved by Spurs fans. An unfathomable rotation policy with an unsettled side featuring players played out of position is not a solution. Perseverance with players who are not performing is also not an option - yet surprisingly for a manager so uncompromising that he dropped Paul Robinson unceremoniously last season, Ramos has persisted with poor performing individuals.

From an individual perspective, I am starting to sway towards the belief that Ramos and Poyet are out of their depth - that the ultimate swallowing of pride needs to take place on the part of Daniel Levy, and that along with the departure of Ramos and Co, so must the Sporting Director role be phased out. That its purpose is to ensure that changes in coaches doesn't mean wholesale changes to the playing staff, leads to the question as to whether its being properly implemented by the Spurs senior management - the turn over of players in the last 12 months has been fairly unprecedented and at this stage an unmitigated disaster.

Whether a Kinnear like appointment would appease fans, and more importantly get the results that are required, is debatable. Whatever the case though there is an incredibly urgent need for some decisiveness at the top of the Spurs hierarchy, and soon. Failure to react in an appropriate manner could see Spurs striving to be top four in the Championship next season, not the Premier League.

It is the Steed, stupid!

NYSPUR — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:58:00 GMT

I’ve been waiting for an upturn in fortunes before writing again, but feared that I might never get the opportunity for some catharsis if I waited that long!

In my last blog entry, I displayed the typical optimism of a true Spurs fan. In hindsight, reaching the conclusion that maybe the sale of Berbatov and Keane would free us up to play an effective 4-5-1 appearsludicrous. In my defense, at that point in time, it was expected that we would have more in the way of striking replacements. However, the line-up I had envisioned has been tried and found wanting. That is my mea culpa, but there is plenty of blame to go around.

In the end, while much has been written about the loss of striking options, I believe that the sale of Tainio, Chimbonda and Malbranque to Sunderland provides a far more significant signpost to our problems and how they have occurred. At least with regard to Tainio and Malbranque we appear to have chosen to unload Premiership experienced solid players. As to Tainio, his injury-hit limitations were well known, but why sell Steed? The only logical answers I can come up with for selling one of our better players from the previous season are: (1) Ramos never rated him or (2) We thought we were going to obtain an upgrade or (3) It was amoney thing. It seems to me that “1” is unlikely given the number ofappearances he made last year. If it was “2”, who was the upgrade? None of the signings combine Steed’s tackling and forward threat. If it is “3”, that would surely signify what is wrong with the current regime’s approach. Whichever is the case, and the “everyone is to blame and no-one is to blame structure” may never reveal the true position, the result has been catastrophic. Moreover, it is notable that once sent to the Ramos discard pile, there is no way back (see Rocha,Lee, Stalteri et al)

I can’t help feeling that we have engaged in a Spurs version of the ill-fated Real Madrid “Galacticos” after Makele left. The water carriers have been dispensed with in favor of the flair players—Bentley and Modric instead of Malbranque and Tainio. The spine of the team has been ripped asunder and we have too many players "adjusting to the pace of the Premiership." We only look like a team in flashes and are even more vulnerable to the “up and at ‘em”style practiced by the lesser teams in the division. We are not creating and our strike force is anemic. Confidence is understandably low.

SO—where do we go from here? The first stage to improving is to recognize that there is a problem. While our lowly position indisputably seems to provide an objective indication of this, the vested interests may not always acknowledge this because to admit it is to admit their failure. For example, it may be tempting for the person that was the moving force behind the signing of X or the playing of X in a certain role to contend that he is“adjusting” or has been injured rather than acknowledging that he erred insigning X or in deploying him in a certain way. That seems to me to be the main argument for bringing in a new broom---he is more likely to make a change which the current incumbent may not make because it would be an admission of error.

My thoughts on Ramos’ position hinge on factors that we do not know about---the behind the scenes stuff that clarify whether he can turn it around. We don’t have that knowledge, but the signs are not good. I’ve not seen any indication of a redeployment of available resources that suggests that we can improve. I’ve heard the same “we must work harder” that we heard from Christian Gross. It is not necessarily working harder that is the answer (aren’t we already supposed to be fitter?) but working more effectively in this environment with this group of players. My thought is that if there is someone who can inspire the players out there, now is the time to make a change. But that is a big “if”. I would be shocked if the hierarchy aren’t looking---its their M.O. after all ---but finding an effective turnaround artist is not easy.And whoever they are, they will be looking to follow the standard playbook—buy those gritty physical players who are prepared to battle to eek out a few ugly wins. Think Redknapp at Portsmouth.One would expect this anyway from the Levy/Comolli/Ramos hydra if we were not Spurs. Instead, who will be surprised if we sign an Arshavin rather than a Savage in January?

It is hard to see obvious moves to turn things around with the current personnel. There isn’t a lot of obvious steel in the squad. There is no-one to come back from injury,King included, who can confidently be seen as a saviour. At this rate, January may be too late. Maybe at a time when the stockmarket has tanked, my move to the pessimistic side will presage a recovery----if that doesn’t sound too optimistic. But let me be clear--we appear devoid of ideas to breakout of this rut.

One last thought—I’ve got the highlights of the last Spurs-Arsenal game at Highbury on my phone and have viewed it several times recently. It seems an eternity ago. Only Lennon and Dawson remain from that team. And Lee makes two good crosses with his left foot to indicate what might have been. We looked like a spirited team that was on the cusp. Unfortunately, we have lost our way---it appears like we gambled on upgrading and whoever is to blame, we lost. The next roll of the dice on personnel—both players and management is for the highest stakes---fingers crossed.

Reserve Report: Ghaly Returns

bankrupt — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:19:00 GMT

Spurs Reserves 2-3 Portsmouth Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

-------------------------------Sanchez (37)-----------------------------

Smith (17)-------Dervite (20)--------Rocha (29)-------Hughton (19)

----------------McKenna (22)-------Maghoma (20)-------------------

Hutton (18)--------------------Ghaly (26)-----------------Daniels (22)

-------------------------------Taarabt (19)-----------------------------

Subs: Butler (16), Berchiche (18), Mtandari (18), Olsen (18), Fraser-Allen (18)

Scorers: Daniels, Taarabt

The Game

Second home game of the season for the reserves, and I know first team coaches Gus Poyet and Hans Leitert were both in attendance, as I passed them on the stairs on the way in (Hans courteously held the door open for me as well, so brownie points for him). The much maligned Damien Comolli was also watching, but I didn’t see Ramos.

With a couple of older players who had been absent through season long loan and injury, in Daniels and McKenna respectively, returning and three ‘senior’ players in the starting line up, Spurs suddenly looked quite an old side for this kind of fixture. Portsmouth were the opposition and, some fringe first teamers such as Traore, Little and Jerome Thomas aside, looked disjointed and lacking in quality. Their team was presumably made up largely of younger players, and that disparity in experience and quality between the two sides certainly told, as Portsmouth were rarely in the game, despite the final score not reflecting Spurs' dominance.

Overall, this is the best I’ve seen the reserves play for some time. They looked organised, motivated, and played some decent stuff at times. It’s amazing what a few experienced heads can do to a side like this, and is precisely why I keep advocating senior players not getting first team minutes being part of this group. Someone like Adam Smith is going to benefit immensely from having a goalkeeper of Cesar Sanchez’ experience instructing him, for example.

Spurs lined up in what was essentially a 4-2-3-1, with Taarabt, somewhat nonsensically, as sole striker. Maghoma and McKenna anchored midfield (Danny Hutchins, impressive in that role so far this season, was there but not in the eleven or named as sub), with David Hutton and Charlie Daniels on either flank, and Hossam ‘back from the dead’ Ghaly given a relatively free role to drop into midfield or support Taarabt. Dervite was captain.

Spurs dominated the first half entirely, though the lack of a proper striker hampered them greatly. The first goal came from a good strike from Daniels, teed up by Taarabt from a freekick, and the second from some good interplay between Ghaly and Taarabt, resulting in a speculative shot (one of many) from Taarabt.

Daniels managed to undo his contribution of the opening goal by failing to track his man to allow Portsmouth to equalise, and in the second half, Portsmouth managed to nick the two goals that gave them the win through some poor defending, where first Sanchez and then Rocha were exposed as the only line of defence. This was despite the visitors failing to look a genuine threat throughout.

The Players

There’s only one place to start, and that is with the player I, and I’m sure everyone else, assumed would never be seen in a Spurs shirt ever again – Hossam Ghaly. To put it succinctly, Ghaly was a class above everyone else on the pitch. His work rate was superb. In the first half, he was everywhere, making himself an option for the pass virtually every time a Spurs player had the ball, threw himself into tackles and made intelligent contributions defensively, and looked by far the player most likely to create chances via an incisive through ball or interplay in advanced areas. For the closing stages of the first half, and the whole of the second, Clive Allen instructed him to play up alongside Taarabt, and he continued to make a good contribution from that position – linking well with Taarabt, for the most part, and playing some decent angled through balls to the right to put in Hutton and Smith on several occasions.

This of course is a player coming back from injury, who hasn’t played first team football for months, and playing in the stiffs for a club who has shunned him since a moment of petulance brought on by idiotic elements in the crowd. For him to come out and show the effort and enthusiasm he did (this also goes into things like trying to instruct and encourage Taarabt and his other team mates) deserves massive respect, in my opinion. His awareness of players around him, and of tactical requirements in any given situation, was far in advance of any other player on the park, as you’d hope from a Premier League player, and make no mistake, that is what Ghaly is. Anyone who suggests he’s “Championship at best”, “a donkey”, “liability” and so forth, is simply wrong.

He should be back in the first team squad. It’s as simple as that. He has several things that we really lack at the moment, not least some balls, aggression and ability to put in a tackle in central midfield, and the confidence and ability to create in the final third.

Anyway, sermon over…on to the rest.

So Taarabt….the guy is an enigma, and right now, I’d be willing to place a substantial amount of money on him not making it; at least, not at Spurs. His body language says he doesn’t want to be at this club, and Clive Allen seems to take some delight in giving him stick from the sidelines, some of it may be deserved, but it’s pretty clear that this isn’t the coach that is going to take what talent Taarabt does have and convert him into a footballer.

As a lone striker, particularly in the first half, he was hopeless. Failing to retain the ball as it was played into, not by over elaborating, but just by poor first touch and anticipation. He did look better when Alex Olsen came on up front and he dropped into a deeper role, and some of his linking with Ghaly did show promise, but he’s so far from having the tactical understanding to match the talent that it’s easy to see why he’s still so far from getting a first team game.

Adam Smith was the youngest player in the starting eleven, and despite a few lax moments defensively, had a good game. He linked well with Hutton on the right flank and, once he’s bulked up a bit, could possibly be regarded as prospect for good things.

Hutton, as per usual, was a good attacking outlet. His crossing (and general technical ability, as I keep saying) is very good. That didn’t really tell tonight because there was no real target in the box with Taarabt as point man, but Hutton remains one of the few players in this group that you can rely on to consistently beat his man and produce a decent final ball. As I said, he linked well with Smith and the right flank always looked an outlet, in contrast to Hughton and Daniels on the left who failed to show any understanding or consistent threat.

A final mention for Sanchez and Rocha, as the other senior players on show. Both sought to provide assistance and leadership to the younger players around them, and whilst neither may have much contribution to make at first team level this season, they could prove very important in the development of what talent we do have at reserve level.

The Ratings

Sanchez – 66% - Didn’t have a great deal to do, was unlucky with the second goal having made two good stops
Smith – 73% - Looks quite assured at this level
Dervite – 62% - Struggled at times and wasn’t commanding enough
Rocha – 66% - Commits himself too early at times, but looks to be having a positive effect in this group
Hughton – 57% - OK defensively, but no offensive contribution whatsoever
Hutton – 74% - Always looks a threat, but no takers for the service he provides in this kind of system
McKenna – 55% - Reasonably disciplined but lacks quality in the tackle and with the ball at his feet
Maghoma – 67% - I’m not a fan, but he did quite well and got through a decent amount of work box to box
Daniels – 61% - Nice goal, but has the physique of a rugby player and plays football like one
Ghaly – 78% - Impressive attitude, work rate and overall contribution
Taarabt – 68% - Still a work in progress, and sadly it seems like work that only has a chance of being completed at another club

It's over - so it begins again!

Dazza_London — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:06:00 GMT

I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!

We've just finished an emotional rollercoaster and settle down looking forward to just getting back to the football when, before another league ball has even been kicked, the hacks in the Tabloids realise they've nothing to fill their columns with so start a new round of rumours.

Seems to have worked though. It's a slow day in work on Monday's so I've been having a look on NewsNow and a couple of blogs (similar to this actually) have people ready to commit mass murder/suicide already.

Some sites have picked up on paper quotes that Kevin Doyle has been reported that he'd like to try and resurrect his move to Spurs, potentially in January. Cue the "he's cr@p" "not good enough" "we should be getting Huntelaar/Villa/Podolski/etc"

Another site shows up with reports that "Spurs are considering a move for Morientes on a short term deal". OK so they claim he'll spend his season on the bench at Valencia and may "consider" trying the Prem one last time. HE'S 33!!! I remember a thread on this site when the rumour was he was signing for us right on the death of the transfer window, fuelled by rumours from certain other fan forums, which never happened. I also remember a seaon or two later when he signed for Liverpool being more than a little gutted. By the end of that season I was heaving a sigh of relief. It was kind of like running for a flight and missing it by seconds only to read in the papers the next day that it had crashed with no survivors!

Several sites have jumped on Dave Whelan's comments "Heskey may yet move" with the expected uproar. I don't even want to repeat any of the comments from other forums about this. They may be children reading. Now I can sort of understand the sentiment. Lose Berba & gain Heskey!!??? Doesn't seem a fair swap. Obviously the England manager sees something in him we don't, after all is is one of only 4 strikers in the England squad, but I can't recall ever seeing him have a good game either for club or country. I don't watch much Wigan football admittedly but it's very rare he pops up on the Match of the Day highlights.

Now most of us with half an ounce of common sense know we're not going to get Huntelaar or Villa, no matter how much we offer. A) They want Champions league. B) We're not going to pay high enough wages. C) The "Big 4" or Man $hitty would out bid us. Podolski may well be a possibility as may be the renewed negotiations for Arshavin but we've already got a large group saying "Russians can't play in English football" and citing Rebrov, Schevchenko and Smertin as examples before poor Pav has even kicked a ball. One guy who posts on here and is famous for his conspiracy theories reckons we've only got Pav and after Podolski and Arshavin as we're lining up a Russian sugar Daddy to take over the club.

So why are we looking for another striker? Well obviously Campbell is only here on loan and we have UEFA problems due to cup tied players but we still have 4 strikers. That's one more than we finished last season with.

"Four????" I hear some of you say, "Can't he count? Pav, Bent and that Manu kid, that makes 3 you idiot!!"

I've been amazed over recent weeks the number of people both online and in the National press that go on about us only having 3 strikers.

We currently have 4 strikers. Campbell, Bent, Pav & Giovani Dos Santos (Yes he is a striker - check his player profile on the official site!). If Ramos decides to play 4-4-2 Gio is your young-Owen-like-fox-in-the-box player. He's only been played wide in a 4-3-3 as he's the best we've got currently at going past players and delivering a final ball. Yes we could use one more unless Campbell actually players well or Bent picks up the batton and takes his chance or Pav turns out to be as much of an undiscovered talent as Berbs did.

But do we risk a foreigner or go for Doyle or Heskey? You decide.......

Doyle scored again for the Republic of Ireland again this weekend. That's 6 goals in 20 international appeances. For Reading over the past 2 seasons (promotion season and Prem League Season) he scored 6 in 34 in the Prem and 13 in 29 in their promtion year. This year he's scored 3 goals in 4 matches so far. He's 24 years old and 5ft 11ins tall.

Heskey is 29 and 6ft 2ins, In 2006-07 he scored 8 goals in 34 appearances and last year scored 4 goals in 29 matches. In fact since he left Liverpool in 2001 he's never scored more than 12 goals in all competitions in a season.

Morientes is 33 and about 6ft 1. He's made 5 appearances as sub this season (201 mins) and scored once. Last season he scored 8 goals in 35 matches.

Podolski is 22 and a shade under 6ft. For Bayern Munich in 2006-07 he played 32 matches in all competitons and scored 7 goals. Last season he played 41 matches scoring 10 (5 of which were in Europe) and so far this season he's scored 2 goals in 4 matches but one of those was in the German league cup against a first round minnow team.

Arshavin is 27 and 5ft 7ins and is listed as an attacking midfielder. In all competitons his stats are 2006-07 12 goals in 44 games (+14 assists). 2007-08 22 goals in 50 games (+25 assists) and so far this season he's played 19 matches scoring 4 goals (+4 assists).

All these stats have come from there current club's official sites.

Reserve Report: So, who are this year’s 'bright hopes?'

bankrupt — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:52:00 GMT

Spurs Reserves 3-2 West Brom Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

-------------------------------Alnwick (21)-----------------------------

Hughton (19)-----Dervite (20)-----Rocha (29)-----Berchiche (18)

Fraser-Allen (18)---Maghoma (20)---Hutchins (18)---Hutton (18)

---------------------------------Rose(18)--------------------------------

-------------------------------Barcham(21)-----------------------------

Subs: Button (19) Mtandari (18) Smith (17) Olsen (18) Townsend (17)

Scorers: Hutchins, Hutton, Barcham

The Game

The reserves kicked off their campaign against West Brom on Monday night with a side shorn of several key players from last season’s team. Last year’s reserve captain, and one of the its most impressive performers, defender Troy Archibald-Henville is on loan at Norwich, striker Tomas Pekhart is on loan at Southampton and midfielder Jake Livermore is preparing for a career in lower league football at Crewe. The enigmatically talented Adel Taarabt was absent, possibly on account of the game being played on the evening of transfer deadline day and the possibility of a last minute loan deal, which may explain why others, such as Paul Stalteri and Kevin Prince Boateng, were also missing. The other notable absentee was John Bostock, brought in from Cyrstal Palace this summer and earmarked as one of the brightest English prospects around, who is on international duty with the England U17s at the moment.

The first half performance from a somewhat youthful side was patchy, in what was shaping up to be a rather dull encounter. Most of the chances fell to West Brom, with Dervite and Rocha struggling to deal with Roman Bednar’s physical presence. Thankfully, Spurs picked up their game when play resumed after half time. It wasn’t classic stuff, but by reserve standards they passed the ball around quite nicely on the deck, in stark contrast to the hopeless channel punts that seemed to be the limit of Spurs’ creative invention in the first period.

All three goals were a result of the improved passing and movement (Hutton’s goal from the penalty spot was won following one of the best moves of the game), but the win did flatter Spurs somewhat and was aided in no small part by the dismissal of WBA’s Hancox for deliberate handball for the penalty. Still, Spurs did demonstrate a decent capability of seeing the game out through possession play following their third goal, which does beg the question as to why Clive Allen doesn't implement a much more cultured style of play generally, particularly given that it would surely be more in line with the first team's game.

The players

In keeping with last season’s trends, two of Spurs’ best performers came as no surprise - David Hutton and Danny Rose. Hutton, in many respects a classic winger, has always impressed me, as a player with very good technique – excellent first touch and adept at going on and crossing with either foot – good pace and decent ability to go past players. His physique is what makes me think that he will struggle to make the step up to the first team.

The much hyped Rose was crucial in Spurs turning the game around. This is probably the first time I’ve really been impressed by him for the reserves. Due in no small part, I’d wager, to him being played in what is surely a far more suitable position – in the hole as a second striker – rather than the central midfield role he occupied for much of last season. His passing was good, he was aggressive in winning the ball back in all areas of the pitch (he also seems to have bulked up a little since last season) willing to run with the ball and quite mature in his decision making when he did get the ball in and around the box. I don’t think he’s ready for the first team, but he did look a class above most of the other players on the field at times.

There was also a first glimpse of Yuri Berchiche. It had looked like he may be on his way back to Spain this summer, but the club have managed to retain him, and it was easy to see why they would be keen to do so. Whilst looking a little naïve defensively, he was virtually the only decent attacking outlet, other than Hutton, during the first half. He looked very willing to overlap, and confident and comfortable in possession in advanced areas. It doesn’t look like he will struggle to make the step up to reserve level, so should feature frequently this season.

The revelation of the game though, for me, was Danny Hutchins. A player I’d not seen before, he played in the holding role and, for a player who has apparently been used largely as a utility player at youth level, showed a very good understanding of the position and reading of the game in general. He scored an excellently taken goal, breaking forward and lobbing the keeper, but had already done enough up until that point to impress me. He was very composed on the ball, never rushed into rash passes and showed good pass selection when he did release it. Very much a ‘head up’ player, which seems to be something of a rarity in the reserve players, particularly in midfield. One to keep an eye on at this level over the course of the season.

The other player that, I suppose, most will be interested in is Dorian Dervite. Unfortunately, it’s hard to take many positives on this occasion. He struggled with Bednar and also with the pace of some of West Brom’s other attacking players. He looks quite cumbersome at times and was beaten to the ball far too easily on several occasions. I know there have been some doubts about his progress following his serious knee injury, and I have to say those doubts seem justified on this performance.

As far as most of the others go, it’s the same story as last season really – far too many sub-standard players who are never going to get anywhere near the first team at Spurs, and in many cases, I suspect, will struggle enough to make a pro career for themselves even at lower league level. There are some supposedly highly rated younger players not getting many chances at reserve level yet as a result, like Adam Smith (an uneventful cameo here) and the unused Andros Townsend, and personally, I’d rather see them being blooded at this level than more distinctly average performances from last year’s misfits. The club have wisely cleared a few out over the summer, either permanently or on loan deals, but haven’t really gone far enough, in my opinion.

The Ratings

Alnwick 57% – Didn’t do much wrong, but looks far from Premier League level

Hughton 52% – Struggled in either full back position

Berchiche 63% – Always a willing outlet but must improve defensively

Hutchins – 81% – Good contribution both offensively and defensively

Dervite – 56% – Struggled to contain West Brom forwards

Rocha – 53% – Wasn’t having a great game when he departed at half time

Fraser-Allen – 55% – Solitary moment of productivity created the winning goal

Maghoma – 51% – Lacking in any quality

Barcham – 61% – Willing and hard working but extremely limited

Rose – 80% – Recovered from a quiet first half to influence proceedings in the second

Hutton – 72% – Always looked a threat, but needed more of the ball

And… breathe

cockerel downunder — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:21:00 GMT

A review of Spurs transfers since the arrival of Ramos.

The window’s shut, the door’s locked, bridges are burned and the drawbridge is up. It’s over now, and those inside White Hart Lane can look around and know who their comrades are for the campaign ahead. Well, until January at least.

I thought it would be appropriate to do a balance sheet of the comings and goings of the Ramos era thus far. Not just a financial balance sheet, but a profit and loss in a football sense as well.

Actually, I’m not too fussed about the finances. As long as the directors are not lining their own pockets at one extreme, or “doing a Leeds” at the other, I’ll happily leave the money side to them. Nonetheless, it shows that we have recouped almost exactly what we have spent, in a money sense at least.

IN	£M	OUT	£M
Gomes	8	Robbo	3.5
Cesar	0	Cerny	0
Woodgate	7	Kaboul	7
Corluka	8.5	Gardener	2.5
		(Rocha)
Hutton	8	Chimbonda	5
Gunter	3	Lee	2
Gilberto	2	(Stalteri)
Modric	15.8	Tanio	5
Bentley	15	Malbranque	5
		(Boateng)
Giovani	4.7	Defoe	7
Pavlyuchenko	13.8	Keane	20.3
F. Campbell	Loan	Berbatov	30.75
Total	85.8	Total	88.05

When Harry Redknapp re-joined Portsmouth and declared he needed to buy a whole new team, people sniggered. Old ‘Arry loves his wheeling and dealing. When Ramos arrived at Spurs, no such extravagant statements were made, in public at least. Ramos is too dignified for that.

Looking at the list of ins and outs however, it is clear that a dramatic overhaul of the squad has been accomplished with ruthless speed. Perhaps the closest we got to a public declaration was in the wake of the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, after which an angry Gus Poyet said “We are going to have to change, maybe we are going to make big changes."

The legacy of the Arneson/Jol era was that although a lot of the players were deemed not good enough for a top 4 push, they at least had sell on value. This has allowed Ramos to completely reshape the squad in relatively short time, and he has improved almost every area individually as well as changing the overall balance and characteristics of the group.

Any player who does not fit the Spaniard’s basic standards of technique and athleticism has been added to the “no long term future” list and shipped out as and when a suitable offer has come in. Ramos wants to move the ball with pace and accuracy from back to front, and anyone likely to slow this down either with mind or legs has been removed, even those with proven reliability and commitment such as Malbranque and Tanio.

Here is my quick summary of each area of the team, a profit or loss, in the footballing sense:

GK – so far so good. If gomes can remain as solid as he was against Chelsea a definite upgrade.

CB – Woodgate and Corluka, or Kaboul and Gardener? Easy decision, and Corluka is versatile as well. One qualm would be that we now only have one “pacy” centre half in King.

FB – 1^st team quality not hugely improved (Hutton/Chimbonda) but a better attitude and more balanced group with left footed left backs and more youth. All our fullbacks are now comfortable going forwards, though some still have a few questions to answer at the back.

Midfield – Modric and Bently are easily superior players to Tanio and Malbranque, so a definite upgrade here. With these two and Giovani we now have several players who can link defence and attack with pace and verve, last season Lennon and Malbranque were the closest we had.

Whilst I was sad to see our flying Finn leave (and Steeeeeed, a bit) I feel we have lost a bit of reliability and gained a lot of flair and dynamism, this group symbolises more than any other the new philosophy under Ramos, and the old one under Jol. Still no specialist DM and I’m sure the debate will rage on (and on, and on…) but whilst the club were clearly after one (if rumours are to be believed!) Zokora has another half a season to prove his case.

Forwards - The one area that looks weaker is of course the striking department. Even this looks more balanced to me, 4 strikers was always too many to keep happy, but Defoe and Keane made it a necessity as we always needed 2 “big man” strikers as well as them. They also made 442 mandatory, which would not have fitted the fluidity of Ramos’ plans.

Giovani, as seen as a replacement for Defoe is perfect. A 4^th striker if needed but also a winger, giving flexibility for new formations. Of course, the changes to the striking department unfortunately did not end here.

Pavlyuchenko may well turn out to be as good as Berbatov, but probably not straight away.

The only explanation I can conjure up for Frazier Campbell on loan is that having spend the past 8 months clearing out dead wood the last thing Ramos wanted was a last minute panic signing who would not fit the standard long term. Perhaps a loan signing to make up the numbers until the Jan window was preferable, given the situation.

Quite how we got into that situation is of course another matter entirely, but I feel one that is still shrouded in too much fog for a clear insight. Too many deals at too many clubs went right down to the wire for me to point a finger too accusingly at Levy, just yet anyway.

I know Ramos isn’t supposed to be directly involved in transfers but it is clear that since his arrival we have seen a step change in policy, a huge turnover of the squad, and in my eyes at least our football will profit. If the cash in the bank is invested in January on a new striker, the right buy rather than a rushed buy, it could just all turn out ok you know.

There will be many different views of the summer dealings (a lot less charitable than mine no doubt!), but at least the uncertainty is now over and fans and players alike can settle down to the real business at hand: Football.

Season Preview 08/09

bankrupt — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:42:00 GMT

By cockerel downunder

Well, the Spurs are about to go marching in... excitement’s building, travelling fans planning their journeys, the manager finalising his team selection, the big premier league kick off is only one day away.

And yet... this feels like an odd time to be previewing the season, and reviewing the summer. With the small matter of our first choice strike pairing for the season still up in the air, and 2 weeks before the transfer window mercifully shuts, it’s hard to predict what kind of season awaits. Difficult also to judge the success of the summer dealings. Valiantly though, I will try.

Despite this uncertainty in hard facts, there is a feeling, an aura, surrounding the club that radiates confidence and more importantly, competence. Whatever happens in the next 2 weeks, you get the impression that we will have a good season.

No longer do we rely on one or two star players, but we have a talented, energetic squad with firm, decisive management and an excellent support structure. We have momentum, and it’s very hard to envisage anything other than forward movement, although the speed may depend on how the balls currently in the air, fall to the ground.

Hitting the ground running is of course vital for any team with ambitions of breaking the top four monopoly (well oligopoly, technically). Conventional wisdom is that you can’t change half your team without a period of adjustment, especially if your imports include foreigners with no Premiership experience. Luckily for us, Juande Ramos is anything but conventional, and pre season form would suggest a team that is already clicking.

In fact, from Juande’s viewpoint, being able to train this group of players for several weeks without competitive games is a relative luxury when compared to last season. Matches were already coming thick and fast by the time he took over, and results took priority over ingraining his style on the team.

(On a side note, why did Ashley Cole just pop into my head? Oh yes, thick and fast, that’ll do it.)

Running is a pretty important part of football, and our lads have done plenty of it this summer. A strict diet and fierce pre season has left them in the best condition of their lives. Strength, speed and stamina will provide a solid framework to our season, upon which the more silky elements may be hung.

What amazes me is that such a marked improvement in fitness was possible for a group of professional athletes, but the important thing is that they are now the best they can be, and no longer will we roll over in the last ten minutes of a match and concede a last gasp equaliser in a match we dominated. (Well, hopefully not too often anyway. I mean fit they may be, driven on by a great motivator and organised by a master tactician, but it’s still Spurs after all.)

Getting the best out of players is a common thread in Juande’s management career, especially at Seville where he left a team of household names behind, created mainly from players who did not cost a great deal. Our own former striker Freddie Kanoute is testament to this. After half a season the asses the Spurs squad, the ever decisive Ramos has shipped out those without promise, and extended contracts of those he intends to work on.

Chief among these must be Jermaine Jenas, a player many fans wanted replaced in the summer, but Juande has promoted to vice captain. The promise that he has always shown looks set to be fulfilled, and I think he will be a vital component of our team this season. It looks as though JJ will be the workman in midfield, after playing deeper and with more discipline that usual in pre season.

Ahead of him will be an (as yet incomplete, but mouth watering none the less) array of interchangeable attacking talent that could really bring the glory days back to the lane. Behind him, a new look defence and keeper look solid and classy, albeit with the usual injury concern caveats.

I wont go into detail about our signings and departures, as there’s been plenty said already, and a proper assessment will have to wait a couple of weeks anyway.

Gus Poyet recently said that the signing of Bentley will give us a free kick specialist which we missed last season, that we might convert more of those set pieces we win. This kind of pragmatism would perhaps invoke a distasteful response from Spurs fans had it been said by George Graham, among other past managers.

Like the fitness improvements though, it shows the management team know how to play the percentages, shows they have common sense (how refreshing) and that they know what they are doing. The fact that this approach is coupled with an exciting brand of fluid, attacking football (and the purchase of a raft of flair players,) makes it not only palatable, but compelling.

Even with all the uncertainty, even with the dragging on (and on, and on) of certain “will he, wont he” transfer sagas, I feel nothing but confidence, optimism and excitement for the season ahead.

Middlesbrough away is the first real test of this new Spurs team, and we will soon find out if my optimism is misplaced. This is no pre season friendly, this is a tough game against a decent team. It’s also the kind of game that a top four side would want three points from, whether they have finished their transfer dealings or not. That’s what we need to do, and I think we can and indeed will.

Ohhhhhhhhhh wheeeeen theeeee Spuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrssssss……

A Silver Lining To The Spurs’ Striker Exodus?

NYSPUR — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:22:00 GMT

I’ve previously made my admiration for D. Berbatov clear. I have been less enamored by our other star forwards, R. Keane and J. Defoe—they are both good players but not great (in the same way that D. Beckham is a good player). However, losing all three strikers without replacement, leaving only the yet to be proven in a white shirt D. Bent, can only give rise to consternation. And if we do sign someone, what are the odds that he will be Rebrov-like having hit paydirt with Berbatov?

The doom and gloom merchants will, no doubt, have a field day, but, after my initial shock, I can see a possible chink of light. How many remember what happened to England in the lead up to and beginning of the 1986 World Cup? A team set up to operate centered on Bryan Robson and Ray Wilkins was ripped asunder by the former’s injury and latter’s sending off. But changes forced on Bobby Robson transformed a team heading for an early flight home into a contender. Sometimes adversity, and luck, can lead to finding just the right mixture for success.

Over the last couple of seasons, I’ve felt that Spurs were almost forced to play 4-4-2 because of their abundance of strikers who could not be dropped. With Berbatov a sure starter, there was no way that both of Defoe and Keane would not start so we could play 4-5-1. As a result, our less than stellar midfield would find itself outmanned against teams not playing with two out and out strikers. This included not only the Boltons of this world but also Chelsea (with Drogba), Manchester United (without a genuine target man and Rooney and Tevez dropping into midfield) and Liverpool (Torres up front with Kuyt playing wide right). Even the other North London team played the midfield heavy formation on occasions. Relieved of the obligation to play two strikers, Ramos is freed to play one and pack the midfield. Or play one down the centre with two fast wingers. In other words, since he doesn’t have to make the system fit the players that must play, he can be more flexible. Whether deliberately with the departure of Berbatov and Keane (or one of them) in mind, it seems to me that we have bought so far with a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 in mind. From current personnel, how about Hutton-King-Woodgate-Bale, Jenas-Modric-Zokora, Lennon-Bent Dos Santos or Hutton-King-Woodgate-Bale, Lennon-Jenas-Modric-Zokora-Dos Santos, Bent? In theory, neither line-up looks too shabby. I’ll acknowledge that it has players untried in the Premiership, but I have confidence that Modric will come good. And what an incentive for Darren Bent, a player used to playing as a sole striker but who never had the opportunity to do so last year. I’ll also accept that our defense may owe much to the miracles of modern medicine. But (and I know it’s a big but) if they are all present, I could see us being an equivalent of Manchester City at the start of last year, especially as the expectation will be much lower.

I’ll reserve judgment until the first five games of the new season are in the books, but hope that the applicable cliché will be something along the lines of “it’s always darkest before the dawn.”

COYS!!!

Season Ticket price rises. Too much to be fair??

Dazza_London — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:01:00 GMT

The problem is that if you want to follow YOUR team you have to renew. OK, in real money terms £3 a match is not major. Don’t buy a program next season and it’ll cost you no different per match. But as a percentage is STEEP! 10% on average the survey in today’s paper reckons!! Problem is season tickets for Spurs are Dead Men's shoes.............(read more)